Flying dance of the Mexicas or Aztecs. Includes native Americans dressed with feathers climbing a pole and flying around it held by ropes. A man seated on the top of the pole plays a drum.

description

Flying dance of the Mexicas or Aztecs. Includes native Americans dressed with feathers climbing a pole and flying around it held by ropes. A man seated on the top of the pole plays a drum.

Description

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Source creator:

Landívar, Rafael, 1731-1793

source_creator

Landívar, Rafael, 1731-1793

Source creator

false

Source Title:

Rusticatio mexicana

source_title

Rusticatio mexicana

Source Title

false

Source place of publication:

Bononiae [Bologna]

source_place_of_publication

Bononiae [Bologna]

Source place of publication

false

Source publisher:

Ex Typographia S. Thomae Aquinatis

source_publisher

Ex Typographia S. Thomae Aquinatis

Source publisher

false

Source date:

MDCCLXXXII [1782]

source_date

MDCCLXXXII [1782]

Source date

false

notes:

An ancient ritual, the Sun Dance was performed for the god of fertility, Xipe Totec, to ensure success in harvest. The four (symbolic of the four cardinal directions) dancers or voladores would climb a high pole to which they were tethered by cords. The fifth dancer or caporal acted as priest and musician and invoked the god's protection. The dancers would fly around the pole like birds and descend headfirst to ground. Initially suppressed after the conquest, the dance was considered an interesting game by the Spanish.

notes

An ancient ritual, the Sun Dance was performed for the god of fertility, Xipe Totec, to ensure success in harvest. The four (symbolic of the four cardinal directions) dancers or voladores would climb a high pole to which they were tethered by cords. The fifth dancer or caporal acted as priest and musician and invoked the god's protection. The dancers would fly around the pole like birds and descend headfirst to ground. Initially suppressed after the conquest, the dance was considered an interesting game by the Spanish.